Advocates a "minimalist" form of Christian belief for the 21st century

The Predicament of Belief

Science, Philosophy, and Faith

Philip Clayton and Steven Knapp

Description

Does it make sense - can it make sense - for someone who appreciates the explanatory power of modern science to continue believing in a traditional religious account of the ultimate nature and purpose of our universe? This book is intended for those who care about that question and are dissatisfied with the rigid dichotomies that dominate the contemporary debate. The extremists won't be interested - those who assume that science answers all the questions that matter, and those so certain of their religious faith that dialogue with science, philosophy, or other faith traditions seems unnecessary. But far more people today recognize that matters of faith are complex, that doubt is endemic to belief, and that dialogue is indispensable in our day.

In eight probing chapters, the authors of The Predicament of Belief consider the most urgent reasons for doubting that religious claims--in particular, those embedded in the Christian tradition--are likely to be true. They develop a version of Christian faith that preserves the tradition's core insights but also gauges the varying degrees of certainty with which those insights can still be affirmed. Along the way, they address such questions as the ultimate origin of the universe, the existence of innocent suffering, the challenge of religious plurality, and how to understand the extraordinary claim that an ancient teacher rose from the dead. They end with a discussion of what their conclusions imply about the present state and future structure of churches and other communities in which Christian affirmations are made.

The Predicament of Belief

Science, Philosophy, and Faith

Philip Clayton and Steven Knapp

Table of Contents

Preface1. Reasons for Doubt2. The Ultimate Reality3. Divine Action and the Argument from Neglect4. The Plurality of Religions5. The Scandal of Particularity, Part I: The Resurrection Testimony6. The Scandal of Particularity, Part II: Jesus and the Ultimate Reality7. Doubt and Belief8. The Spectrum of Belief and the Question of the Church

The Predicament of Belief

Science, Philosophy, and Faith

Philip Clayton and Steven Knapp

Author Information

Philip Clayton is Ingraham Professor at Claremont School of Theology.

Steven Knapp is President and Professor of English at George Washington University.